i obviously have potential...yes...even I see that.
BUT....
I obviously cannot take picture worthy photos. Not good photos. Yes, good photos around the house, etc but not good photos "professionaly" or NEAR professional.

I am going to back down and leave you guys alone as I am not considered a photographer....nor a good one at that and I am going to focus my attention on other things.

It was nice to be here for a short while and it was nice to meet all of you

i obviously have potential...yes...even I see that.
BUT....
I obviously cannot take picture worthy photos. Not good photos. Yes, good photos around the house, etc but not good photos "professionaly" or NEAR professional.

I am going to back down and leave you guys alone as I am not considered a photographer....nor a good one at that and I am going to focus my attention on other things.

It was nice to be here for a short while and it was nice to meet all of you

Click to expand...

Yes, you have potential- And I wouldn't give up. Don't take criticism so much to heart and keep trying. Some 'critics' are just assholes with an -opinion-. Sustain your effort. I usually don't bother with people photos but looked through some of your posts. There's some of those that I really like (especially the girl in the blue dress shots). There's other forums to post on; this isn't the most positive place sometimes. But you got some nice stuff and like you said, potential. We all get down, but don't give up and keep posting. Ignore the garbage you don't want to hear.

those photos of the girl in the dress are the only GOOD ones i have taken and i guess i just lost my creativeness and photography mojo so i just want to take a break and do something else for the time being

Criticism from some people on a website do not count for a 100% foul proof oppinion, just a fraction of personal oppinions based on personal preference and/or experience.

Perhaps you do need a break, perhaps you don't - either way, if you love taking photos, you will eventually return to photography, be it here or elsewhere.

You have to find your own style and preferences. Remember to shoot what you want to, how you want it and how YOU like.

Its all a learning curve and not everyone is going to like the same thing - i've seen some pictures on here i've thought sucked eggs - the same picture has been bigged up and appraised by others for being fantastic. So don't be so disheartened.

Teresa... I really don't want to get into a big huge debate here because we've already covered this in several other posts of yours. So my humble opinion is that you are getting frustrated at things that you are shooting because of the technically aggressive nature of the style you are trying.

Studio work can be difficult even with the right equipment, much less trying to piece a studio together. There are some basic things that you [we all as photographers] need to get a grip on before we ever try to pull off the shots you want to pull off. You see your images and hate them because you're not ready to do those kinds of shots. I am not going to play into the "poor pitiful you" posts again and I don't want to discourage you from photography, I just think you need to start at the beginning. I (and dozens of others) have said that before to you.

When you don't have to worry about backdrops and lighting (as in your engagement post awhile back) you do good work. But you need to get a grip on these basics first! That's why your frustrated. You can not take a first aid class in the local community college and then immediately go perform open heart surgery! It doesn't happen that way. There are natural progressions for all aspects of work. First job as a cashier; got to learn how to use the register to make a sale... then cash or credit... then do a refund... then take a coupon... then, the list goes on. All of this is taking for granted that you know how to count, read and make change! After that... maybe you become proficient at that and they make you train other cashiers. Then you become a supervisor, then assistant manager. You have to start somewhere and get a grasp on it.

Please try to search your heart and ask yourself if this photography "profession" is for you. If it is... work hard on it from the beginning and take your time. Soon enough IF your cut out for it, the simple things will become second nature to you. These are the things you struggle with and beat yourself up over right now.

Here's the cold, hard truth: You might not become a photographer. I could never play guitar like Dave Matthews but did I give it up? No. Do I know more than 5 chords? No. Do I love it? Yes. Guitar is not my thing. Taking photos of your kids and family for a scrapbook might be your thing. Shooting the cover of a national mag... maybe not. But please, please, please... take our constant and seldom changing advice to you; learn the basics of photography. Stop trying (for now) to over complicate your shots with elaborate studio techniques. Grab your camera and chase your kids around the neighborhood park and work on natural lighting and composition and DOF and exposer and shadows and highlights and the hundreds of other things that DO NOT use a flash, then study, study, study!

After 40 years of photography as has been said here before by I forget whom:

I play guitar like Ansel Adams
and
photograph like Eric Clapton.

If photography is fun, stick with it, we all don't rise to the level of an Adams. But if you are bored and have lost interest, sometimes it's a good idea to back away and take a rest. Only to come back another day, recharged and ready to blow away all the competition. Whatever your choice, I hope to see you here again sooner or later. Good Luck with your decision.